counterprotest

noun

coun·​ter·​pro·​test ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌprō-ˌtest 

variants or counter-protest

plural counterprotests or counter-protests

: a protest staged to counter or oppose another protest

A rally … got heated Saturday afternoon. Police stepped in to help de-escalate tensions after a counterprotest emerged …

—Colleen MacDonald

counterprotester

ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌprō-ˌte-stər 

noun

or counter-protester

plural counterprotesters or counter-protesters

Standing near the back of the crowd at yesterday's rally were about a dozen counterprotesters …

—Sue Young Wilson

Nazis may still march, but they are inevitably outnumbered by counter-protesters.

—Ellis Cose

Examples of counterprotest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The arrests outside Parliament came amid what is expected to be a busy weekend of demonstrations in London as the war in Gaza and concerns about immigration spur protests and counterprotests across the United Kingdom. —Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025

They’re meant to be a counterprotest to a military parade and festival in Washington, D.C. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2025

His group supported the Apopka event with de-escalators — people trained to help reduce the intensity of a situation — in the event of counterprotests. —Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025

What about counterprotests? Counterprotests should receive the same rights as protests, and the two should be allowed within sight and sound of the other, but antagonistic groups should be separated. —Hannah Hudnall, IndyStar, 13 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for counterprotest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed